Posted on: Wednesday, August 21, 2002

Despondent prisoner hanged self, official says

Advertiser Staff

A prison official has identified the 30-year-old man who died Saturday after he was found hanging at the O'ahu Community Correctional Center as Byron Almeida.

Almeida hanged himself because he was apparently despondent over a relationship, said OCCC Deputy Warden Francis Sequeira. Prison officials found a note indicating his unhappiness, Sequeira said.

"No foul play is suspected and there was no other person involved," said Sequeira. He said Almeida's cellmate was away when Almeida hanged himself.

Almeida was not breathing and in cardiac arrest when paramedics arrived at the prison about 8 p.m. Saturday. He was pronounced dead at the Queen's Medical Center. An autopsy showed he died of asphyxia due to hanging.

Homicide Lt. Bill Kato said detectives were suspicious when prison officials told them Almeida's body was found with hands bound in the front, tied with strips of sheet. He said the suicide seemed more plausible when the prison produced letters written by Almeida indicating a plan to end his life.

A full investigation has been ordered into the death, Sequeira said.

Almeida was released from Halawa Correctional Facility in June after serving 10 years for robbery, Sequeira said.

He was at OCCC awaiting trial on charges stemming from an attack in Kailua in which he allegedly smashed police officers' vehicles with a pipe and threatened them on June 22.